Adjustable standard for stools



1935. H. BERGSLIEN ADJUSTABLE STANDARD FOR STOOLS Filed Jan. 31, 1954 m W 16-47; C l

I71/Ue71/Z07 5 WQZW V Zorne Patented Oct. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

My invention relates to stools and particularly to adjustable standards for swivel stools and the like.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved adjustable standard for stools and the like wherein the height of the stool may be quickly and easily adjusted and wherein the seat of the stool is free for rotation with respect to the base.

Another object is to produce such a standard wherein substantially all parts of the adjusting mechanism are enclosed within a tubular standard for purposes of protection of the parts from damage and dust and concealment of the parts to provide improved external appearance of the stool.

Still another object is to provide such a standard wherein a given adjustment is reliably maintained regardless of the stool being moved about or lifted by means of the seat portion thereof.

A further object is to provide such a standard of simple, rugged and inexpensive construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. l is a side view of my adjustable standard as applied to a swivel stool;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view;

Fig. 3 is a broken cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, a swivel stool in which my adjustable standard is incorporated includes a seat S of conventional circular form and a base B from which the entire structure is supported and an adjustable vertical tubular column C supporting the seat S and supported by the base B.

The base B includes a relatively short tube 6 to which downwardly and outwardly extending legs I are secured. Braces 8 are attached to the legs I to improve the rigidity thereof. A flanged ferrule 9 is mounted on the exterior of the short tube 6 in such position that the depending flange portion thereof conceals the upper ends of the legs 1.

A pair of slidably telescoped tubes, of which the inner and smaller one-is identified by the numeral I and the outer and larger one is identified by the numeral II, are included in the structure of the adjustable column C. The outer tube I I is snugly fitted at its lower portion within the short tube 6 and its lower end rests upon a heavy disk I2. The disk I2, in turn, is restrained from downward movement by a pin I3 which extends diametrically of the short tube 6 and is supported at its ends in apertured portions of the short tube 6. The disk I2 has a 10 diameter closely approaching the internal diameter of the short tube 6. The upper end of the inner tube In is provided with a flanged collar I 4 mounted rigidly thereon and at its flange portion I4a secured to the lower side of the seat S 5 in concentric relation thereto by means of screws l5 and H5.

The lower end of the outer tube I I has a short portion wherein the internal diameter is somewhat increased and wherein a disk I1 is disposed.

A rack I8 is disposed within and lengthwise of the inner tube ID facing inwardly and with its rear or straight side against a side of the inner tube, A turned portion or lug Isa on the lower end is swivelly attached to the disk I? by a rivet I9 or the like extending through an aperture in the lug I8a and a centrally located aperture in the disk IT. The disk I2 is recessed as shown to receive the head of the rivet I9. The rack I8 has dovetail shaped recesses I8b in its inwardly facing side and carries a transversely extending pin I80 in an apertured portion at its upper end.

A guide block 20, of generally circular shape and having a notch in one side thereof to receive the rack I8, is anchored in the inner tube ID by means of a pin 20a extending through apertured portions of the guide block 26 and the tube II] and terminating at its respective ends flush with the exterior surface of the tube Iii.

A dog 2I is swingably mounted in a forked depending portion 20b of the guide block 20 by means of a pin 2Ia extending through apertured portions of the upper end of the dog 2| and the forked portion 20b. A flat spring 2Ib is arranged to urge the lower end of the dog 2| toward the rack I8. The free end portion 2Ic of the dog 2| is of dovetail shape, as shown, the maximum width thereof being slightly less than the minimum width of the dovetail shaped recesses in the rack I8, in which the dovetailshaped lower end 2Ic of the dog is arranged to engage.

A control or operating rod 22, having a tapered lower end 22a located to engage the side of the dog 2! toward the rack H3 in wedging or camming relation thereto, is disposed within the inner tube ill in coaxial relation thereto. The rod 22 extends through a centrally located aperture in the guide block 28 to a point a short distance below the center of the lower side of the seat S.

The rack l8 and the rod 22 are so proportioned relative to the internal diameter of the inner tube 22 that the notch in the guide block 2B which confines the rack "i8 is tangent at its inner side with the circular aperture in which the rod 22 is guided with the result that one side of the rod 22 is in contact with the inner face of the rack l8 throughout the common portions of the lengths of the rack l8 and the rod 22. The rod 22 and rack l8 hence serve mutually as guides for each other and are held in mutually guiding relation by the guide block 20. The rack l8 and the rod 22 are hence both limited to rectilinear movement longitudinally of the inner tube m and are restrained iromany lateral movement relative to the inner tube. Also, the tapered lower end portion ZZa, of the rod 22 is braced by contact of the rod 22 with the rack l8 so that no cantilever stresses are applied to the rod 22 when the tapered lower end thereof is wedging the dog 2| out of engagement with the rack l8 and so that this wedging action is always positive.

A control or operating lever 23, of the medially fulcruzned, double armed type,'has a medially located, longitudinally disposed, elongated slot 236 therethrough by means of which the lever is iulcrumed on a pin 24 carried by apertured portions'of a -U shaped yoke 25. The yoke 25 has apertured ears 25a. formed at its upper end by which it is secured to the lower side of the flange lea by means of the screws H5 which extend through the apertured portions of the ears.

The inwardly extending arm 23a of the lever 23 extends through aligned apertures 26 and 21, respectively formed in the collar M and the inner tube iii, to the interior of the tube It wherein its free end is disposed in a slot in the upper end of the rod 22 and is pivotally connected to the upper end of the rod 22 by a pin 28 extending through apertures in the arm 23 and in the slot defining upper end portion of the rod 22.

The outwardly extending arm 23b is twisted through a right angle adjacent its free end and bent upon itself at its free end, as shown, to form a control or operating handle 23c.

Adjacent and inwardly of the twisted portion of the arm23b, the upper edge portion of the arm 23b is twice slotted to define a spring anchoring element 23d. The lower end of a helical compression spring 29 is sleeved about the anchoring element 23d and the upper end is. disposed in a cylindrical recess formed in the lower side of the seat S.

The dog 2! may be engaged at its dovetailshaped free end portion in any of the dovetail shaped recesses in the rack I8 and, since it is anchored to the inner tube It, will impose the weight of the inner tube it, the seat S and any person sitting on the seat S on the rack l8, which in turn is supported from the base B through the pin l3 and the disks 2 and IT. The spring 2th yieldingly holds the dog in engagement with the rack iii. The weight supported from the rack I 8 through the dog 2|, due to the dovetail shapes of the recesses in the rack and of the free end portion 2|c of the dog acts to urge the free end portion 2|c of the dog toward its fully engaged position. If the stool is lifted off the floor as by the seat S, the weight of the lower portions of the stool structure, then supported from the seat S through the rack 8 and the dog 2|, similarly act to urge the dog into 5 full engagement with the rack l8. It is obvious that the stool may be carried about as well as sat upon with no chance of losing its adjustment. To alter the adjustment of the height of the stool, the handle 230 may be moved toward the 0 bottom of the seat by placing the fingers under the handle 23c and the thumb upon the top of the seat S and applying squeezing action of the hand. The remaining hand of an operator may grip a diametrically opposite portion of the seat S and hence the handle 230 may be operated with the hands in suitable position for raising or lowering the seat S. The above described operation of the handle 230 will lower both the opposite end 23a of the lever 23 and the rod 22 thus causing the tapered lower endof the rod 22 to wedge or cam the dog 2| out of engagement with the rack |8 to release the stool for adjustment. The seat S may then be raised or lowered to approximately its de- 2 sired position, after which the handle 230 is released to permit the spring 29 to return the lever 23 to its. normal position and hence raise the lower end 22a out of engagement with the dog 2|. The spring 2| b' then swings the dog 2E 30 against the face of the rack |8. The seat is then moved a slight distance upwardly or downwardly whereby the dog will register with one of the recesses in the rack l8 and will be swung .into engagement with that recess by the spring 2| b. The above adjusting action, while requiring rela- V tively considerable explanation can obviously be effected very rapidly and easily.

Since the inner tube It is rotatably associated with the outer tube H and the rack I8 is rotatably connectedto the base B, these parts and the seat supported thereon may be freely rotated as desired with respect to the base B and the outer tube M. It is to be noted that the seat S,

the inner tube Hi, the rack IS, the dog 2|, and all of the elements for operating the dog 2| all rotate as a unit with respect to the base B and the outer tube It is apparent that I have invented a novel, rugged, easily operated and inexpensive form of 5 adjustable standard for stools-and the like wherein free rotation of the upper portion thereof is provided and wherein a given adjustment will be positively maintained until a new adjustment is purposely made regardless of the manner in which the device may be tipped, carried or otherwise disposed or handled.

It is apparent that my improved adjustable standard, though shown as incorporated in a swivel stool structure, is well adapted for use in many other structures.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the ,parts, without departing from the scope of my invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an adjustable standard, 'a base, a telescoped pair of tubes, the inner one of said tubes being arranged at its upper end for supporting an object, such as a stool seat, and the outer one of said tubes being rigidly attached at its lower end to said base, said tubes being revoluble and longitudinally slidable with respect to each other, an inwardly facing vertically extending rack disposed within said inner tube with its back against one side of said inner tube, said rack being supported by said base in rotatable relation thereto, a dog swingably mounted in said inner tube for engagement with said rack, resilient means for urging said dog into engagement with said rack, means accessible at a point external to said tubes for withdrawing said dog from engagement with said rack and a guide block secured within said inner tube and having a notched portion fitting about said rack to restrain the same from lateral movement with respect to said inner tube.

2. In an adjustable standard, a base, a telescoped pair of tubes, the inner one of said tubes being arranged at its upper end for supporting an object such as a stool seat and the outer one of said tubes being rigidly attached at its lower end to said base, said tubes being revoluble and longitudinally slidable with respect to each other, an inwardly facing vertically extending rack eccentrically disposed within said inner tube and supported by said base in rotatable relation thereto, a dog swingably mounted for engagement with said rack, resilient means for urging said dog into engagement with said rack, a vertically extending rod disposed coaxially within said inner tube, the lower end of said rod being associated with said dog for throwing the same out of engagement with said rack, means accessible from the exterior of said tubes for moving said rod to effect said disengagement and a guide block secured within said inner tube and having recessed portions through which said rack and said rod extend and which restrain said rack and said rod. from lateral movement with respect to said inner tube.

3. In an adjustable standard, a base, a telescoped pair of tubes, the inner one of said tubes being arranged at its upper end for supporting an object such as a stool seat and the outer one of said tubes being rigidly attached at its lower end to said base, said tubes being revoluble and longitudinally slidable with respect to each other, an inwardly facing vertically extending rack eccentrically disposed within said inner tube with its rear side bearing against a side of said inner tube, said rack being supported by said base in rotatable relation thereto, a dog swingably mounted within said inner tube for engagement with said rack, yieldable means for urging said dog into engagement with said rack, a vertically extending rod disposed within said inner tube in coaxial relation thereto, the lower end of said rod being connected with said dog for throwing the same out of engagement with said rack, means accessible from the exterior of said tubes for moving said rod longitudinally to effect said disengagement, said rack being of such thickness that the inwardly facing side thereof bears against a side of said rod, and a guide block anchored within said inner tube, said guide block having a notched portion in one side thereof fitting around said rack and a centrally located apertured portion fitting about said rod whereby said rack and said 5 rod will be restrained from lateral movement relative to said inner tube but will be free for relative longitudinal movement.

4. In an adjustable standard, a base, a telescoped pair of tubes, the inner one of said tubes being arranged at its upper end for supporting an object such as a stool seat and the outer one of said tubes being rigidly attached at its lower end to said base, said tubes being revoluble and longitudinally slidable with respect to each other, an inwardly facing vertically extending rack eccentrically disposed within said inner tube, said rack being supported by said base, a dog swingably mounted within said inner tube for engagement with said rack, resilient means for urging said dog into engagement with said rack, a rod mounted within said inner tube for longitudinal movement with respect thereto, the lower end of said rod being tapered and located between said dog and said rack for wedging said dog out of 5 engagement with said rack when said rod is moved downwardly and means accessible from a point exterior to said tubes for moving said rod downwardly.

5. In an adjustable standard, a base, a telescoped pair of tubes, the inner one of said tubes being arranged at its upper end to support an object such as a stool seat and the outer one of said tubes being rigidly attached at its lower end to said base, said tubes being revoluble and longitudinally slidable with respect to each other, an inwardly facing vertically extending rack eccentrically disposed within said inner tube, said rack having a portion pivotally connected to said base at a point on the axis of said tubes, guides located within and secured to said inner tube for restraining said rack against lateral and rotary movement with respect to said inner tube but permitting vertical movement, a dog swingably mounted within said inner tube for engaging said rack, resilient means for urging said dog into engagement with said rack, a vertically movable rod disposed within said inner tube in coaxial relation thereto, the lower end of said rod being tapered and located to engage said dog to force the same out of engagement with said rack when said rod is moved downwardly said guides having portions arranged to retain said rod in said coaxial relation, a, double-armed lever fulcrumed adjacent the upper end of said inner tube, the inner arm of said lever being connected to the upper end of said rod and the outer arm being adapted for movement to force said rod down wardly and resilient means for normally maintaining said rod in its uppermost position.

HERMAN BERGSLIEN. 

